Anselm House Healthcare Symposium | Dignity and the Care of the Sick

What does it mean to treat a dying person with dignity? Dignity appears frequently in medical and ethical discourse, yet it is rarely examined with clarity or depth. In his keynote address at the 2026 Healthcare Symposium, Dr. Daniel Sulmasy, MD, PhD, of Georgetown University will bring both rigorous philosophical analysis and theological depth to a term we often use without fully understanding.

Dr. Sulmasy will trace the history of "dignity" as a concept and distinguish three distinct senses in which the word is used. He will then show how each of these meanings bears directly on the care of the sick—especially those approaching the end of life. Drawing on the Christian tradition, his talk will offer both intellectual clarity and moral guidance for one of the most profound challenges we face as human beings.

This public lecture is part of Anselm House's 2026 Healthcare Symposium. The Healthcare Symposium is an annual two-day conference hosted by the Healthcare Initiative at Anselm House. The Symposium brings together Christian students, faculty, and providers across the upper Midwest to bring Christian wisdom to bear on current issues in healthcare.

Jason Adkins, executive director of Minnesota Catholic Conference, will conduct a short interview with Dr. Sulmasy and facilitate the Q&A session.

This event is free and open to the public.